Freshman or not, by now, we all know the painful truth about reading period. That sweet week of no classes is almost as much of a myth as grade inflation. Reading period is essentially the cram week of hell—a week of failed attempts to study, a few nights of actually studying out of desperation, with deadlines for papers and projects sprinkled in between. With all that’s going on, it can get so overwhelming that you find yourself suddenly having a breakdown in a corner of Lamont at 4 a.m.

The best way to prevent such a scenario is caring for yourself. Self-care is more important than ever during finals week, and good mental health can actually improve your work ethic, studying, and performance. Who would have thought, right? So push aside those practice problems for a minute, take a deep breath, and learn how you can optimize the precious hours of your reading period—without sacrificing your will to live.

Have at least one outing

It doesn’t matter how busy you are. There are 24 hours in a day, and during those seven days during reading period, you have time for at least one off-campus adventure with your friends. Even if it means simply having lunch in Boston with your blocking group, stepping out of the Harvard bubble can make you feel refreshed and realize that the world is bigger than one grade in an Ec course. You’ll come back to campus rejuvenated and ready to hit the books.

Have an indoor spa night

However rewarding city outings may be, self-care is best when your wallet is happy. Another option is to just spend a night in your room treating yourself. Take a hot shower, put on a face mask, play that episode on Netflix you’ve been meaning to watch, and just unwind for an hour or two. When you’re stressed and tired, your work performance and efficiency suffers as well. Taking some time to relax can actually save you time in the long run.

Meditate

This is a quick, easy, and free way to treat yourself. Just download a meditation app and take a minute to breathe in….and out…..in…..and out. Meditation can be a solo activity or done with a small group, but it’s a time for you to focus on nothing but yourself, your mind, and your body. With a clearer mind, you just might figure out how to solve that orgo problem.

Engage in artistic expression

Fear not: you don’t have to be an artistic prodigy to participate in making art. Whether it’s painting, doodling, journaling, or writing creative stories, funneling your emotions into a creative outlet is proven to be cathartic and rewarding. When you haven’t made progress on your final paper after five hours of staring at a blank screen, taking a break to freewrite or draw can stir the creative juices necessary to brainstorm ideas.

Whatever you choose to do, just remember that balance is key. A happy heart leads to a happy mind. Study hard, everyone, and godspeed. We’re almost there.

We respect the “kind initiation” rituals of the Oak Club, which forced new members to carry around cumbersome planks of oak at all times. Here are some ideas for other final clubs, inspired by The Oak’s precedent of taking mascot dedication extremely literally.

The Bee: Carry a beehive

A great way to prove your dedication to this final club would be to carry around a beehive all week. You may get stung along the way, but it’s definitely worth it for the lifelong friends who love you for your personality. (Although, this mascot could also apply to the X—see below—which apparently seeks to promote Bumble.) Uh huh, honey.

The Phoenix: Light yourself on fire

You’ll fit right into the club if you light a small part of yourself on fire and keep it ablaze until the end of the week. Only a true Phoenix will be reborn from the ashes. Bonus points to the member who gets the fewest burns throughout the week.

The X: Get handcuffed to your ex

The way to show loyalty to The X? Get handcuffed to your ex (preferably with their permission). While handcuffing may have been an exhilarating part of your past relationship, this sort may be the thing that breaks the final few new members who weren’t up to snuff. Alternatively, exist, because that's ostensibly what the Exister Society does (but that's not so difficult).

The Spee: Hire a bear to chase you

The Spee has the potential to create a truly remarkable test for those sophomores wishing to join their ranks. What could be a more challenging than trying to outrun a grizzly bear to gain entry to the exclusive social club? Plus, there’s no better way to show off your connections than to call in your own personal bear on short notice.

As for the clubs we didn’t mention: get creative. The opportunities for wholesome initiation fun are endless.

With juniors, sophomores, and freshmen picking their housing for next year, there are a lot of conversations about which room configuration will allow for the maximum space and optimal sleeping arrangement. This involves a lot of high level mathematic skills, or at least some mathematical skills, and we believe the housing lottery should count towards the Empirical and Mathematical Reasoning Gen Ed Requirement.

Coordinating a time to talk with your group

If you want to live with a large number of people or sort out your blocking groups living situation, you all need to sit down and talk about how to conquer the housing lottery. However, in the busy time of midterm season and leading up to reading period, figuring out a time and place for everyone to congregate for this talk requires many organizational and mathematical skills. This may be extra difficult if you also need to explain why a certain person may not fit into the rooming situation for next year.

Interpreting the meaning of "n-1"

So you have five people in your group and the housing you have is n -1. So how many doubles even is that? Once you’ve figured out that complicated math (Answer: two if you want a common room, one if you don’t), you then have to make a rotation schedule and figure out how to evenly split time in the coveted singles. If that doesn’t count as mathematical reasoning, what does?

Optimizing group size for square footage

Another mathematical challenge to the housing lottery is figuring out how many people in your housing group gives you the best chance at success in the housing lottery. If there are nine quads and eight quints left, more people are housed in quints but more groups get quads, so what is the right way to split? You not only have to take into account which housing is better, but also game theory (how other people will act given your actions).

With all of this math knowledge and reasoning going on, non-STEM majors should be allowed to count participation in a Housing Lottery as their EMR Gen Ed. Besides, with Hebrew Bible losing its Gen Ed status (RIP), what better way to include another low-workload gem into the Gen Ed system?

There is a saying that the buildup to Yardfest is better than the actual event. That being said, you should still make an effort to go. Surprisingly, this is easier said than done for many of us. Yardfest has grown to become a test of will, and those who make it alive are the true champions of the day. How badly can you f*** up Yardfest? Now that we’re a week out, it’s time for some introspection on our behavior, so we can learn for next year.

Getting too lit at the pre-game

Many of us have reached this point of premature lit-ness, and if you haven’t, your time has yet to come. Yardfest pregaming is an opportunity for college students to completely ignore their responsibilities for a day and get wasted at a time when they’d normally be asleep. Chances are, you got too excited and peaked at 3 p.m., and the rest of the day was spent on the floor of some stranger’s dorm.

Sleeping through the concert

Typically a byproduct of pregaming too hard, you can choose to “take a nap,” vowing to yourself that you’ll wake up before your alarms. It’s a dangerous game to even approach a bed around Yardfest time, unless you want to wake up to the sound of the concert reaching its peak.

Being near, but not at, the front

Congratulations, you successfully made it to the Yard. That’s better than most people. However, you can still make the mistake of attempting to reach the front. Yardfest has proven an inverse relationship between one’s proximity to the stage and amount of personal space. Either watch from outside the crowd where you have room to breathe, or get used to having someone’s armpit shoved at your face because you won’t come out of the crowd unscathed.

Dressing inappropriately

Outfit planning for Yardfest is quite a variable process. Dress too warmly, and you’ll be drenched in your own sweat—and everyone else’s—in the crowd. Dress too lightly, and you’ll look great, but at the expense of your body’s internal temperature. Finding the balance between comfort and festival promiscuity requires one part experience, one part dumb luck.

If this was your first Yardfest, no need to worry. Each year is a different experience and an opportunity to make the next one potentially better. Yardfest is what you make of it. You can spend it however you like, but if you come out of it alive, you’re probably doing something right.

With Visitas on the horizon, there’s only one question on our minds: Can you -tas that? As if “Visitas” isn’t cringe enough, Harvard seems to feel a need to remind us of the ever-present Veritas by throwing -tas at the end of every single word. We’re here to judge some current uses of -tas, and to suggest some others.

The canonical “Partytas”

Any good Visitas story starts with, “We went to Partytas, but it was lame so we left.” With a name like that, how could anyone expect it not to be lame? They might as well name the event “Harvard is a school where your social life comes to die” and at least let prefrosh know what they’re getting themselves into.

The new addition “Karaokitas”

Move over Partytas, there’s a new terribly named and terribly executed social event on the scene. No, Harvard, you definitely cannot and should not -tas that.

The laudable “Carnitas”

Honorable mention to the Latinx community for boasting the only bearable -tas event on the Visitas calendar this year. Harvard administrators have a lot to learn from these innovative leaders.

We suggest: “Insecuritas”

Feeling secure seeing all those Securitas signs around campus? Think again, prefrosh. Get ready to be very insecure when you realize that every other member of your class already competed in the Olympics and nailed down a finance internship for the summer of 2020.

We suggest: “Let’s-grab-a-mealitas”

A Visitas event where prefrosh plan to get meals together in the fall, but proceed to forget each other’s names immediately after making the promise. Time to assimilate the prefrosh into the flakey culture of this school.

Happy tas-ing, everyone!

It’s Visitas weekend, which means hordes of confused prefrosh will be flooding campus. Prefrosh have an excited sparkle in their eyes and can remind hardened Harvard students of the magic they once saw in this place, but if you’re already a grumpy “it’s almost finals” student, you’ll probably just see them as a traffic jam and an annoyance. However, no matter who you are, you can benefit from Visitas. All of those classic Visitas events that sound super fun and promise great free food are back, and while they’re technically for prefrosh, is there really anything stopping you from pretending to go back in time for a little while? If you want to get the most out of Visitas, or at least eat some tasty food, here are some standout events.

A New ChalLANger Approaches—SOCH Room 105
Saturday, 4/21 at 4:30 p.m.

A little niche, but if you’re looking for some way to be social but not actually have to talk much then look no further! Tons of video games and prefrosh Player 2s with which to prove that your Smash Bros. skills are much better than your Pset skills.

European Pastries and Drinks—Harvard Hall 102
Saturday 4/21 at 6:30 p.m.

This one’s got a little bit of preparation necessary but tons of reward. As an event geared towards meeting European students, you’ll probably want to create a backstory so you aren’t outed as the American you really are. Just whatever you do, don’t fake an accent; they’ll know and you’ll have to wave goodbye to all the cannolis and macarons.

Make Your Own Japanese Rice Ball—Annenberg Hall
Saturday 4/21 at 9:30 p.m.

Bid any concept of a normal brain break adieu and check out this event instead. If the title doesn’t convince you, nothing we could write will.

Pastries, Crepes, Political Consulting—Harvard Hall, 102
Sunday, 4/22 at 10:30 a.m.

Well, at least the first two words sound appetizing. Looking to ditch classic Sunday brunch for something a little more upscale? Looking to ditch the low-earning potential careers that your concentration leads to for one that might be a little more lucrative? This event has got you covered.

Boba and Board Games—PBHA
Sunday, 4/22 at 9 p.m.

Want bubble tea? The answer is probably yes, and you can probably get in and out of PBHA pretty quickly while pretending to be a pre-frosh. No particular participatory events are necessary, though if you really want to get into it and play some board games with prefrosh, go for it.

International Dessert Fest—Ticknor Lounge
Sunday, 4/22 at 9 p.m.

What’s better than sugar, sugar, and more sugar? International sugar! Justify your indulgence under the guise of cultural exploration, and join the feast.

As finals approach and we get more desperate to add joy to our lives, consider joining the crowds of hopeful future Harvard students and make the most of Visitas. Any and all of these events would make great study breaks, so Visitas here we come!

We brought you the types of Visitas hosts, now see if you can spot all these types of prefrosh.

The Overloader

This prefrosh has done all of their research and is ready to attend as many sessions as physically possible throughout the weekend. They’re an active member of the Class of 2022 Facebook page and have kept up to date with everything you can slap a -tas on since their acceptance. You can find this prefrosh posing for a photo on the Widener steps with their Harvard 2022 banner, and their lanyard hanging proudly around their neck. Various pamphlets and pieces of merch will be spilling out of their red Visitas drawstring.

The Stanford-Reject

This prefrosh had their heart set on another school and unfortunately had to settle for Harvard. They spend the whole weekend complaining and dropping hints that it’s so much sunnier in Palo Alto.

The Elsewhere Commit

This prefrosh just wanted some extra days off their senior spring semester. In the process, however, they constantly bring that up they’re actually going to—and maybe even already committed to—another Ivy when introducing themselves at events. While others are scared of getting rescinded, this prefrosh will try to smash their host, convince as many others to partake in their debauchery, and overall be the worst influence on the 2022’ers.

The Soon-to-be-Rescinded

You can find them being goaded by the Elsewhere Commit to drunkenly pee on John Harvard. Whether they tote an unusual inclination to dank meme, or a vodka-filled water bottle, you already know they won’t be on campus come fall.

The Mama’s Boy/Daddy’s Girl

They took the “parents are invited” thing too seriously, and when you meet them you’ll also have to introduce yourselves to James or Susan, who insist that you call them by their first name. As if that encounter wasn’t cringey enough, chances are you’ll find yourself sitting next to their parent on whatever bus/train/plane you’re going home on.

The Prep School Posse

The prep school world is a small world, especially at Visitas. These prefrosh can be found hanging out with their upperclassmen friends and walking around with a massive squad on the very first day. They can also be overheard discussing the impact of this year’s record low acceptance rate—only 12 of their friends got in instead of 16.

The Conflicted One

This prefrosh is sort of a mess, and pretty torn about everything going on that weekend. Whether they are let down because they had the false expectation that Harvard was known for its crazy parties, or are going back and forth between a few schools, they’re noticeably whiny and bitter. They might lament at Partytas, “Bulldog Days was fun but I feel like I'm definitely getting a different vibe here.” They can be spotted donning a Yale hat, a Stanford sweatshirt, and MIT sweatpants, and won’t stop griping about the difficult decision they face.

Visitas is an exciting weekend for all but can definitely be overwhelming—even for you overeager types, who think you have it all figured out. Fear not, whether you ally with your prep school buds, fellow complainers, or that bad influence, Visitas is not the be-all, end-all decider of your identity or friend group. Live a little, and don’t worry about trying to (actually, please don’t try to) fit into one of these types.

Visitas hosts are responsible for caring for sweet, naive prefrosh and immersing them in the Harvard experience any way they can. But you might not always get what you bargained for. Here are the types of hosts you might meet this weekend...

The Neglector

They’ll probably send one of their friends to pick you up, or maybe just text that they’ll be busy for the day and leave you to find your way to the Quad on your own (good luck). If you didn’t bring a sleeping bag, don’t be hopeful: there’s going to be a hardwood floor waiting for you. If you’re lucky, they’ll tape their door so that even if they’re not there for you, their room is. If not, have fun exploring the halls as their locked door stares you down.

The Overbooker

They’ve got good intentions, but at the cost of living space. At night, you’ll arrive to see three other prefrosh huddled around the futon or scattered around the common room. However, this kind of host tends to be very friendly and eager to talk about anything; after all, they did sign up to take in a bunch of prefrosh. Plus, while sleeping arrangements may be cozy, you’ll have friends to navigate Annenberg with the next morning.

The Advantageous Humorer

The worst type. They’ll feed you plain wrong information about Harvard, send you on pointless errands, and make fun of you with their weird Harvard humor. They’ll use words like comp, Q guide, and more acronyms than any sane human should be expected to keep track of, reveling in the fact that you’ll have no idea what they’re talking about. Don’t despair: your true Harvard experience will be much better than the one this clown prepared for you.

The Reminiscer

From the moment you show up, they won’t stop telling you about their own Visitas experience. They may only be a sophomore, but things were so different when they were just discovering Harvard. On the upside, it will be super easy to get them to talk about their Harvard experience. On the downside, they might be sneakily trailing you to events just to experience the ~thrill~ all over again. You thought it was weird to have your parents following you around? Now try a random college student you barely even know.

The All-Star

Through every stressful essay, late night p-set session, and frantic midterm prep sesh, one thing has kept this type of host going: Visitas is coming. There is truly nothing they are more excited to do than welcome you into their cramped dorm room where there’s a comfy futon waiting for you. Your schedule will be packed, but they’ll still insist on grabbing brunch with you or running to Zinneken's for a late night waffle together. If you get this host, consider yourself lucky—it’s always nice to have an upperclassman friend when you get on campus this fall.

No matter which host you get, your schedule will be so packed with free food events, *highly recommended* talks from faculty, and trying to meet as many people as possible that you probably won’t end up spending much time with your host at all. Overall, the best piece of advice we can offer is: Whoever your host may be, keep track of their spare key.

With classes and activities wrapping up for the school year, many people’s minds have turned to their summer plans. And as the high-achieving (read: competitive) group of students that we are, everyone wants to be sure of what they’re doing for the summer—and what everyone else is doing. It’s news if your only plans for the summer are to enjoy the break and not work a high-profile internship, but there are several reasons why you should consider doing just that.

Recharge from the Year

With high stress levels on campus during the school year, it’s important to give yourself some time off to recharge for the next school year. Working a stressful job could leave you more exhausted, putting you in a state primed for mid-semester burnout. Your mental health is more important than one bullet on your resume!

Spend Time with Friends and Family

You spend every semester buried under school work and various activities, and thus might not have enough time to see your friends and family. Summer is the perfect time to catch up with these far-flung but familiar faces. You can make lasting memories with them that will remind you of how much you love them (but also why it wasn’t such a bad idea to move hundreds of miles away from their prying questions).

Work a “Normal” Job

So many people working prestigious, but unpaid internships. Your most fulfilling option for a summer experience could be a minimum-wage service job. Let’s be honest, we could all be taken down a peg after spending some time in Harvard’s ego-boosting bubble, and nothing keeps you humble like a job at your local restaurant. Making money is nice too, especially when the work is mindless.

There are many useful things that you can do with your summer even if you don’t have definitive plans that directly contribute to your ten-year plan to become a partner at Goldman Sachs. Sometimes, the best use of your time is to do nothing. And being a Harvard student with “McDonalds” as an employer on your resume is as much (if not more) of an interview conversation-starter than summer analyst at some start-up.

Congratulations, Class of 2022. You did it. After 13 years of brutal education and more hours invested in extracurriculars than sleep, you made it to Harvard. After you take your first steps past the regal arch of Johnston Gate, suitcase bouncing on the bricks behind you, you’ll have three days of Visitas to test Harvard’s waters, explore what this campus has to offer, and decide whether you can see yourself here for four years.

We remember this excitement. We were once in your shoes. The prospect of college independence and no parental supervision is a rush of adrenaline...which is why, as veterans of Visitas, we have some advice to give you. Prefrosh, for your sake and ours, don’t be dumb. Here are some tips on getting through Visitas and preparations for your first year without too many regrets.

Don’t destroy your liver

We get it. A college party is exciting, uncharted territory, and you want to make the most of it. But you do not want your first experience on Harvard’s campus to be marked with a trip to the hospital at Mt. Auburn. Trust us, there will be plenty of opportunities to drink and make bad decisions here, but save that for after you commit and have Harvard’s Amnesty Policy on your side.

Don’t be disruptive

Visitas may be a new and exciting time for you, but remember it’s still (perpetual) midterm season for students here. Explore our beautiful libraries and aesthetic study spots to your heart’s content, but keep the volume and activity levels to a minimum. However Instagram-worthy Harvard’s nooks and crannies may be, it’s still a school, not a museum.

Don’t flex your college acceptances

Yes, you got into Yale. We know you have a laundry list of other schools you’re “considering,” but it’s not worth bragging about unless you want to be branded as the pretentious kid. Use this time as a chance to learn more about Harvard, not as an opportunity to boast about your other acceptances, or—Drew Faust forbid—your SAT score. You’ll come to realize that only one school matters in the end.

Don’t touch John Harvard’s foot

Just don’t do it. You can take a picture with the guy. Just stay away from his foot. You’ll understand later.

Do reach out and talk to current students

While it can be tempting to stay within the #squad you formed within the first two hours of Visitas, don’t be afraid to get to know current students at Harvard! Whether it’s your host, your host’s friends, or upperclassmen you run into, we’re all excited that you’re here. Not only can conversations with current students help you determine whether Harvard is the best fit for you, but those connections will make the transition into freshman year a lot easier.

Visitas is completely what you make of it. You can love it or hate it, but what you take away from the experience is entirely up to you. Save yourself from an ambulance trip, the dirty looks of stressed students, and the permanent branding of the letter “A” (for bragging A-hole), and you just might find your future home here.

If you haven’t been living under a rock, or in the Widener stacks, you know that Yardfest is tomorrow! To make it as hype as possible, make sure you’re prepped with all the essential Yardfest info:

Pregames

We all know that pregaming is one of the most essential part of Yardfest, so if you haven’t already started, here’s what you need to know. Each neighborhood hosts a block party with food, free t-shirts, and of course some choice beverages for 21+ers. Head to the Quad Lawn, Eliot Courtyard, Adams Courtyard, or Leverett Towers Courtyard.

Dinner

After the extreme sport of pregaming, you’ll surely be hungry. All of the dhalls will be closed except for Currier, Dunster, and Hillel, so head to the Yard instead. If you can make it to Yardfest, you can make it to dinner, which will be served from 5 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. in the Tercentenary Theatre.

Guests

If you’re bringing guests, hopefully you’ve already bought guest tickets as they will not be sold at the actual event. You must enter with your guest, and they get to eat dinner too!

Entry

The two entrances to Yardfest are between Pusey and Widener libraries or between Weld and University Hall, and gates open at 4:45 p.m. Make sure that you bring your HUID, and make sure not to bring any backpacks/large bags or *beverages*, and keep in mind that they may search your personal items.

Timing

If you’re trying to extend your pregame, or are more interested in the headliners than the openers, know that, based on previous years' show lengths, they probably won’t go on ’til around 6:30.

No matter how you feel about Wale and Lil Yachty, the weather’s shaping up to be warmer than it’s been in weeks, and with the end of the year in sight, we could all use a good party. Study up on our headliners, crank our playlist, stay safe, and Yardfest is sure to be a yacht of fun!

There’s only a month left till the semester is over, and you’ve realized that you need to be in your TF’s good graces to salvage your grade. Chances are, he/she doesn’t even know your name or doesn’t like you because you often fail to contribute “meaningful discourse” during section. Thankfully, it’s not too late. Use these Flyby-approved tactics to finally establish a connection with your TF and finish the semester on a strong (or at least passable) note.

Mutual Interests

“Oh my god, you listen to NPR too?” Try to find out what your TF does in his/her free time or has an interest in, and try to build some conversations out of it. This will make you memorable to the TF, and it shows that you might actually care about building connections and not just boosting your grade.

Office Hours Bananza

Go to office hours, but don’t be basic and ask for help on your p-set. Instead, delve in and express a deeper interest in the subject. Tell your TF that you were just fascinated with that lecture last Wednesday and was wondering where you could find more supplementary material to satiate your desire for more knowledge on the topic. Of course, don’t lay it on too thickly, but a show of deep interest should definitely work in your favor later on.

The Present

No, do not get your TF a $100 JCPenney gift card. Instead, go on the thoughtful track, and bring in some baked goods, or even better, a handmade gift that shows you care. Feeling that this takes too much finesse? Give your TF a handwritten card instead. A few words can go a long way.

The Early Bird

Want to look like a dedicated student? If you can, show up to section before your TF. Don’t just sit there, though: read some supplementary material on the section topic, or show off your studious nature by poring through your lecture notes. As a bonus, try to be the last kid to leave section. It shows dedication.

Manners

Sometimes all you need is some good manners. Simply saying a genuine “good morning” and “have a nice day” leaves a lasting impression. It shows acknowledgement and respect to your TF, something that anyone would certainly enjoy.

Bottom line is, don’t suck up too hard, but make sure you’re doing something that gets your TF to actually notice and appreciate you. Enjoy the rest of the semester!

"Look around, bro," Lil Yachty tells KYLE in the conversation that opens "iSpy." So look around, Harvard student! Come Friday, the sun will be shining (probably, but don't trust New England weather), block parties will be popping, and you will be beautifully buzzed. What's not to love about a Yardfest that's not headed by an EDM artist? Now that you, the uncultured Wale/Lil Yachty initiate, know about the headliners, it's time to dive into their music. Doesn't the pregame start on Wednesday?

My Love (ft. Major Lazer, WizKid, Dua Lipa) // Wale

Okay, so the odds that Wale is bringing Major Lazer, Wizkid, and Dua Lipa in tow are...pretty low. But this track will totally smash your expectations about Wale. "My Love" is danceable and has a strong bassline, but it manages to sound chill and tropical at the same time. This is the kind of song you could get down to and kick back to.

One Night // Lil Yachty

This right here is the song that announced Lil Yachty's presence on the music scene, making him a star overnight. It's slow and almost mellow, but all the commitmentphobes on this campus will definitely relate to Yachty needing no wife.

Chillin // Wale

Picture this: you're strutting into the Yard, it's a lovely 70 degrees, and no one can touch you. Coolly perch your shades on your head and let the breeze tousle your hair. You're chillin'. Wale captures this mood like no one else.

Minnesota // Lil Yachty

It's impossible not to enjoy this song's zamboni-cruising music video, but "Minnesota" is a bop in itself. The catchy hook and piano melody will stick with you for hours after you're done listening.

Bait // Wale

"Bait" is the kind of song that will instantly compel you to put your drink down and get on the dance floor. This is a club bop, and who can't appreciate Wale's many shoutouts to his native D.C.?

Like what you hear? Follow our Spotify account, where you’ll find all our playlists. Don’t like it? Tell us about it. Shoot a message to flyby@thecrimson.com, especially if you have ideas for more songs we can include.

Study breaks—the brief respite we get from the living hell that is Harvard mid-week. Don’t get us wrong, we love our proctors, PAFs, and tutors, but “Quaker Oats Rager!!” study breaks just aren’t what the people want. It's the end of the semester, and they're probably just running really low on cute ideas, which they all wasted in the first few weeks when they were trying to impress you. Luckily, Flyby has a few ideas for kick-butt study breaks that’ll make everyone in your entryway (except for that one kid who’s always high-strung because he’s in HCCG) happy!

Burn Book(s) Study Break

Angry about a grade on an exam? Quiz? Homework Assignment? Furious over your TF? Section Leader? Professor? Host a fun study break in the great outdoors by making a bonfire and burning the textbooks of all those classes you hate when the semester’s over! At the same time, upgrade scrapbooking by creating a Burn Book (Mean Girls-style) with all the dirty, awful things you think about your professors and TFs.

Nap Time Study Break

Calling sleep-deprived Harvard students: have your PAF’s bust out the pillows and blankets and let your entryway catch some zzzs. Just be sure to wake them up to finish that essay they haven’t started. Give them a few pills of speed while they’re on the way out.

Potluck Study Break

Get the whole entryway involved in this study break! By having everyone bring their own special food and drink to share, you can create a beautiful assortment of half-eaten Dorito bags and Cheez-it boxes, as well as whatever obscure, crappy seltzer bottles have been hiding underneath the bed of your entryway-mates for the past few weeks. Enjoy!

Kumbaya Study Break

Whenever you go home for break, some of your odd relatives may warn you of indoctrination screaming, “Those liberals at Harvard! All they do is sit around and sing kumbaya! They know nothing!”

Prove them right.

Meryl Streep Study Break

If you don’t love Meryl Streep get the f off my article.

Titanic-themed Study Break

Going to Harvard is basically the equivalent of drowning in a cold, harsh, unforgiving environment that will swallow you up if you let it, so you might as well have a study break commemorating that.

“Lookin’ Like a Snack” Study Break

Tell everyone (and I mean everyone) to break out their sexiest outfits for the study break to end all study breaks. S&M M&Ms, Three-way Musketeers, Butterfingers, and, for the more vanilla crowd, Hershey’s Kisses. Need I say more?

Forget Buzzfeed quizzes. Get ready for Yardfest by answering the crucial question: which Lil Yachty or Wale song are you?

1) It’s Friday night, and shocker, you’re at a party. But things are getting dry. What would save this night for you?
a) Some good tea (she did what?!)
b) Some gluten-free rice crackers
c) Someone to set up beer pong so you can show off your skillz
d) Honestly, I have vodka so this isn’t too rough
e) A hot tub—what is this, some lame broke-college-student party? Let’s step it up

2) Your ideal mate is:
a) A good listener—you’ve got a lotta juice to spill and you need someone you can trust
b) Fit—someone to make #gainz with
c) Confident—someone who can step into a room and own it (just as long as you still own it more)
d) Easygoing—someone who you can just kick it back with
e) Adventurous—someone who will just hop on a plane and jet off with you

3) What is the ultimate dealbreaker for you?
a) Not being able to keep a secret
b) Being a couch potato—if you’re sitting on your butt, I’m dumping your butt
c) Always needing to be the center of attention—there can only be one star and it’s me
d) Always stirring the pot—take your drama and leave
e) Being cheap—money isn’t everything but it lowkey is

4) Oh no, you didn’t do so well on your last p-set. What do you do?
a) My oh my, what big ears I have—a little bit of listening to some answers for the next pset never hurt anybody
b) Hit the gym—when things don’t work out, work out
c) Get your section squad together so you can throw some shade at your TF—it’s like therapy but free
d) Nothing—Cs get degrees
e) Slide your TF a few bucks

5) Why do your friends love you?
a) You know everything—your friends can always count on you to know what’s up
b) You provide that much-needed health and fitness inspo
c) You’re the life of the party & always know how to have a good time
d) You’re the only non-extra one in the squad—your friends can always count on you to keep it real
e) You have the funds—weekend trip to Cabo? I think yes

If you got mostly As you’re: "iSpy" - Lil Yachty

Is there anything you don’t know? You make it your mission to know everything about everything, and your boundless well of knowledge always seems to come in handy. Nothing can get by you—be on the lookout for an offer from the CIA.

If you got mostly Bs you’re "Broccoli" - Lil Yachty

Chances are, you’re probably the resident health geek of your squad. Good for you, it must be nice to have that sorta willpower.

If you got mostly Cs you’re "No Hands" - Wale

You’re always down to have fun, and wherever the spotlight goes, you go. Can’t remember last night? No problem. Knowing you, it was a good time.

If you got mostly Ds you’re "Chillin" - Wale

While all of your classmates are out here trying to get recruited, you and your low blood pressure can relax because you know what’s meant to happen will happen.

If you got mostly Es you’re "Bag of Money" - Wale

If you got the money, you might as well flaunt it. You’re just out here trying to live your best life, and if that means treating yourself so be it.

Consider this article a call to action for all Harvard students. Cardi B is currently partnering with Tinder to hold a free concert for the school that receives the most right swipes on Tinder. Currently Harvard is in the top 64 schools, with half the schools being eliminated every week. The concert will be held for the winning school on April 25th, which coincides with the beginning of our reading period. In order to win ourselves a second Yardfest and prove to other schools that we are not just sad loners in the library, we have put together a guide to guarantee us the concert.

Sign Up Everyone You Know for Tinder (Including Yourself)

As long as it’s linked to their Facebook profile and it has Harvard as their school, all of their data will count toward our score. Significant others have to understand making a Tinder is worth it for Cardi B. You don’t necessarily have to use it, just let it sit there and rack up swipes.

Increase Your Radius

Tinder allows your radius to go up to 100 miles, and more mileage means more people, more potential right swipes, and a better chance for us getting that concert. The other people setting their radius that far away have to be desperate, which guarantees a good like ratio. The best part about this is you will never have to see these people around and you can ghost them peacefully.

Don't Swipe Left

Swiping left on people takes you out of people’s lineup, reducing the number of chances you have to be swiped right on. If you really cannot handle swiping right on a lot of people, just let your Tinder sit there until the end of the contest.

Swipe Right on Other Harvard Students

I know it may be weird to swipe right on that one person you see in the dining hall everyday or the person from your freshman year Expos, but remember—it’s for Cardi B. You don’t have to date this person, just swipe right for your mutual benefit.

Catfish

If you really don’t want to create a Tinder for yourself, find some great pictures of someone else and link a Tinder of their face to your Facebook account. Still counts for our total score without the telling yourself that you’ve given in to the monstrosity that is online dating.

Now, Harvard, is your time to rise. Don’t sit idly by and let the opportunity of a free Cardi B concert slip away.